Why remove the Prayer to St Michael?

[Rachel_1]

Just not publically as a congregation, the way I am understanding it. I do know that the Blessed Mother in one of her approved messages complained that people were rushing out of Mass and not spending any time in prayer with Jesus that they had just received.

I think maybe it depends on what Mass is being said, EF or OF.
For instance, today in our EF Mass at the end we said 3 Hail Marys, Hail Holy Queen, & the Prayer to St Michael, as a congregation.

 

[JimG]

I really don’t see any objection to having group prayers after Mass. After daily Mass at my parish, one group has obtained permission to recite two prayers for vocations, and pasted these prayers on the back of the hymnbook. They wait till the priest has left the church and entered the sacristy before beginning the prayers. And on one day each week a youth group recites its own prayers after Mass, after the priest has entered the sacristy, and many people stay for these, which only take a few minutes.

On Sundays there is usually a rosary recited before Mass. I’ve heard it ended with the St. Michael’s prayer on occasion, but most leaders end it with the Memorare.

 

[corsair]

There was a time not long ago that right after the dismissal, the church would erupt into a bunch of chattering and noise. Several of us led by an elderly lady would kneel and begin saying the Leonine prayers. Eventually folks became quieter and left church much more reverently. After the grand old lady passed on our little group has continued this practice.

In fact several more folks have joined.

 

[Teelynn]

I say it after I finish the rosary.

Yes, I do as well. Always have…I don’t think I ever pray a rosary without it. Now…if we could just get everyone to say their rosaries! (and include the prayer to St. Michael at the very end) Methinks it would have a wonderful effect on society!

 

[Teelynn]

Interestingly enough, and I have been googling in regard to the subject to see what I could find; the final hymn after the dismissal is liturgically irrelevant. In fact I was later told by one of our Deacon’s that this is in fact true. That the Congregation is free to leave the church after the final blessing and dismissal: “Go in Peace”.
Funny, how the final hymn is a standardized practice, but any public prayer after that is discouraged. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I would never put up any fuss about it…I believe obedience is a big deal… I also want to do what is liturgically correct…just seems contradicting.

 

[Pregustator]

The Leonine Prayers were meant to be recited after Low Mass for various specific intentions, originally the defence of the temporal sovereignty of the Holy See. Actually, even before Leo XIII, Pius IX had requested that three Hail Marys and a Salve Regina be recited after Low Mass, but only within the boundaries of the Papal States.

Pope Pius XI, following the Lateran Treaty of 1929, decided that the Leonine Prayers would be offered for a new intention: “the restoration to the afflicted people of Russia of the tranquility and freedom to profess the Catholic faith.” That was (and still is) frequently misinterpreted as a “Prayer for the Conversion of Russia”.

The final form of the Leonine Prayers consisted of three Hail Marys, a Salve Regina (followed by a versicle and response), a prayer for the conversion of sinners and the liberty and exaltation of Holy Mother Church, followed by the prayer to Saint Michael the Archangel. Pope Pius X allowed the addition of the invocation “Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us”, repeated three times.

The fulfillment of the declared purposes of these prayers–the securing of the temporal sovereignty of the Holy See and the freedom of Catholics in Russia to follow their consciences–has rendered the custom outdated, for one thing. More importantly, however, they were not meant to be recited after public Masses, only private Masses. Some say after “Low Masses”. The ordinary form of Mass, however, knows no level of celebration described as “Low Mass”.

At celebrations of the Tridentine Low Mass (the Extraordinary Form of Mass) the prayers are often said, but wrongly. They were officially suppressed by the Holy See in 1965.

There was a time not long ago that right after the dismissal, the church would erupt into a bunch of chattering and noise. Several of us led by an elderly lady would kneel and begin saying the Leonine prayers. Eventually folks became quieter and left church much more reverently. After the grand old lady passed on our little group has continued this practice.

It isn’t permitted to the laity to publicly lead the suppressed Leonine Prayers, in church, after Mass, when the pastor will not (because he may not). Additionally, there are those of us who remain after Mass to make prayers, meditations, or devotions who would be distracted and annoyed by the practice of a group of the laity imposing their prayer, out loud, upon everybody else.

For 45 years the Leonine Prayers have not been with us. They served their purpose at the time they were in vogue. They no longer have a purpose, today. There is no need to restore them.

 

[DebChris]

Interestingly enough, and I have been googling in regard to the subject to see what I could find; the final hymn after the dismissal is liturgically irrelevant. In fact I was later told by one of our Deacon’s that this is in fact true. That the Congregation is free to leave the church after the final blessing and dismissal: “Go in Peace”.
Funny, how the final hymn is a standardized practice, but any public prayer after that is discouraged. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I would never put up any fuss about it…I believe obedience is a big deal… I also want to do what is liturgically correct…just seems contradicting.

The final hymn is still prayer.
It is during this hymn that the priest recesses from the church. While most retain the reverence of the Mass and do not leave until the end of the hymn, there are those who “beat the priest out of the church.” It is common practice for the priest to meet and thank those who came to Mass as we go forth to “love and serve the Lord.” The Mass is a communal prayer. This greeting is a good way for priests to get to know their congregations, at least on a cursory level. I like attending Mass in parishes where everybody meets and spends time with each other after Mass. Not within the church proper of course. It is important to respect those who do wish to stay behind for personal prayer, where that is possible. As mentioned, the church needs to be cleared where I am currently so that the next Mass may begin.
On first Fridays, in my stateside parish, the priest does not recess after Mass. Instead he says the Benediction for the beginning of Eucharistic Adoration. As a community we recite the Divine Mercy. As already mentioned, the rosary is recited before daily Mass. The memorare is recited after the rosary, both in my stateside parish and where I am currently. Here the Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary is considered a natural part of the rosary while my stateside parish always includes the Prayer to St. Michael.

 

[jmj603]

It isn’t permitted to the laity to publicly lead the suppressed Leonine Prayers, in church, after Mass, when the pastor will not (because he may not).

Do you have a source for that?

 

[JackVk]

We say it after daily Mass at my parish, since our parish is named after St. Michael the Archangel.

 

[IrishAm]

The parish near Washington DC where I lived for 8 years (recently, not way back when) always said the Prayer to St. Michael following “Thanks be to God” and before the final hymn. I still do. I tend to attend masses surrounded by military men and women and figure there is no better prayer to send to the heavens on their behalf . . . Now, however, I usually have to wait until after the recessional hymn or I get distracted and mess up the words.

 

[bkovacs]

I know the Prayer to St Michael was removed from the mass’s many years ago, but why?

I remember it being said at the end of mass, and I"ve read the thinking from Pope Leo XIII who instituted the prayer world wide.

I’m just seeing anywhere why it was removed?

Because St Michael is the Devil’s arch enemy. If you can attend an EF Mass the St Michael prayer is recited after every Mass in public. Along with the three Hail Marys, Hail Holy Queen, and prayer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

 

[DebChris]

The parish near Washington DC where I lived for 8 years (recently, not way back when) always said the Prayer to St. Michael following “Thanks be to God” and before the final hymn. I still do. I tend to attend masses surrounded by military men and women and figure there is no better prayer to send to the heavens on their behalf . . . Now, however, I usually have to wait until after the recessional hymn or I get distracted and mess up the words.

Psalm 91 is another good prayer for military personnel. It can be prayed before retiring for the night.
When I made my Cursillo I heard about the 91st Regiment which saw few casualties despite being in many of the major battles of WWII. Why? The commander had each soldier attach Psalm 91 to the inside of his helmet.
None who wore the medal of the crucified head of Christ (from the shroud of Turin) have been killed as a POW.

 

[archangel04]

Not sure why it was removed, but any actual devotion prayer really makes no sence after Mass. It would be more appropraite before mass. Don’t get me wrong I love the prayer as you can tell my user name

 

[DebChris]

Not sure why it was removed, but any actual devotion prayer really makes no sence after Mass. It would be more appropraite before mass. Don’t get me wrong I love the prayer as you can tell my user name

I hadn’t thought of it that way, but you are absolutely right. Every Charismatic prayer meeting begins with a prayer of protection against Satan and his forces. Why not pray for that same protection before Mass? With God’s protection, we can be more focused on the reason we attend Mass. The Eucharist is the “source and summit” of our faith. Strengthened by the Eucharist we can then go forth to “love and serve the Lord.”
I am most accustomed to the prayer after the rosary, and with the rosary being prayed before Mass.

 

[Pregustator]

Do you have a source for that?

The Leonine Prayers were officially suppressed by the September 1964 Instruction Inter Oecumenici, which came into effect on March 7, 1965.

You can Google that much if you want more info.

 

[Pregustator]

Because St Michael is the Devil’s arch enemy. If you can attend an EF Mass the St Michael prayer is recited after every Mass in public. Along with the three Hail Marys, Hail Holy Queen, and prayer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

The Leonine Prayers were prescribed for use after Low Mass privately celebrated, and were never said after sung Low Mass or solemn Masses of any degree.

Today, when Low Mass is celebrated according to the 1962 Missal, some celebrants will lead the faithful in the recitation of the Leonine Prayers afterwards. The Leonine Prayers were never meant to be recited after sung or solemn Masses, however, and the introduction of such a practice would amount to nothing more than a contemporary innovation on the part of the celebrant; it is certainly not traditional.

More importantly, the Leonine Prayers were suppressed by the Holy See, their objectives having been fulfilled, and so their public recitation should not follow the Mass said, in any case, according to whatever Missal. When the Leonine Prayers are publicly recited today in defiance of the prescriptions of the Vatican, I think it has to be said that someone’s own need for nostalgia has unfortunately outweighed the wisdom of the Holy See in his own judgment.

I have been to the Sunday celebration of Mass according to the 1962 Missal in my own diocese a number of times. Never once were the Leonine Prayers recited afterwards. Rightly so.

Cabooses at the end of trains might appeal to our sense of nostalgia, but they don’t use them anymore because they no longer serve a purpose.

 

[mangy_dog]

I think it technically happened after the mass, so in that sense it was not actually removed from the mass.

You are correct my friend,

What happened was that the tradition was not kept up with. So it fell into generational forgetfulness.

At our mass, we’ve raised awareness of this fact and consequently we’ve been saying the St. Michael Archangel prayer at the end of the mass for the last three years.

 

[Elizium23]

I don’t believe anyone has brought this up yet, but it seems to me that the intent of Inter Oecumenici was an incremental step in a transition away from the 1962 Missal to the Mass of Paul VI. Inasmuch as the other changes listed there pointed to full implementation of Sacrosanctum Concilium, abolishing the Leonine Prayers were seen as one of the post-Vatican II reforms of the liturgy. Obviously, many parishes celebrating the Extraordinary Form today take this view if they do recite the Leonine Prayers.

In my parish, we recite a novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help after the Tuesday night Mass.

 

[jmj603]

The Leonine Prayers were officially suppressed by the September 1964 Instruction Inter Oecumenici, which came into effect on March 7, 1965.

“Suppressed” from the Order of Mass does not mean forbidden as a devotion after said Mass, because orthodox devotions after said Mass are always permitted.

In some places, for example, they have the Rosary.

 

[MarkThompson]

“Suppressed” from the Order of Mass does not mean forbidden as a devotion after said Mass, because orthodox devotions after said Mass are always permitted.

In some places, for example, they have the Rosary.

The Leonine Prayers were never in the Ordo Missae. Inter Oecumenini did not say that the prayers were “no longer required,” or that the requirement to say them is abolished, it said that the prayers themselves were suppressed. “X is suppressed” ≠ “Feel free to go ahead and do X.”